AH Supply: 55w Strip Light Kit DIY Build/Review

[Mr. Limpet]

I just wanted to add that I have the 4x 55w kit that I bought 3 or 4 years ago and it still runs like a champ. I highly recommend these to anyone wanting to upgrade their lighting. They are pretty simple to put together as long as you have common sense.

Thanks for the info. I like the design and it went together perfectly. GSP tank will get one just like this on their 29g.

Sent from my Epic 4G using Aquarium Advice App

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Not sure if I can continue this new lighting scenario here or if I'm going to have to start a new thread, so here goes .

I'm planning on doing another kit conversion for lighting my brackish water GSP build. The kit will not be the issue, but the type on bulb is something I'm unsure of, since I'll be having plants acclimated to the tank from the start of the cycling process. Do I want another 55w, 6700K bulb for the tank, or should I get a 55w, 10000K/Actinic combo bulb? (twin tube PCF).

Any suggestion or info will be greatly appreciated .

At some point, the plants may have to come out as the GSP get older and the salinity has to be raised close to 1.022 (just short of full SW) but that will be 3-4 years down the road.

 

[j2112j]

Mr.Limpet,
I find the actinic colour makes things look very nice.
I've been looking at all kinds of options and wondered about a DIY that allows seperate switches for each bulb, 1 actinic, 1 10,000K for plants. Not sure If that interests you but if so, please document as you go, whatever you decide.
DIY threads are great

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Mr.Limpet,
I find the actinic colour makes things look very nice.
I've been looking at all kinds of options and wondered about a DIY that allows seperate switches for each bulb, 1 actinic, 1 10,000K for plants. Not sure If that interests you but if so, please document as you go, whatever you decide.
DIY threads are great

Yep, that's what I was thinking. But this bulb has two tube in one bulb and you can get it so it's split between the two colors. I think it would look cool too .

 

[Demonknight]

The floating plug is kind of a con we have to live with I think, my lights on my big tank are the square pin type instead of the in-line like yours and its a free floating as well... tbh the light clamps are tight enough I worry more about breaking the tubes that it falling out.

Oddly I was just looking at the very same and wondering if the 2X36w kit would be overkill on my 10g tank, seems a waste to get the single ($45)when the 2X is just 20 bucks more($69)

 

[Mr. Limpet]

The floating plug is kind of a con we have to live with I think, my lights on my big tank are the square pin type instead of the in-line like yours and its a free floating as well... tbh the light clamps are tight enough I worry more about breaking the tubes that it falling out.

Oddly I was just looking at the very same and wondering if the 2X36w kit would be overkill on my 10g tank, seems a waste to get the single ($45)when the 2X is just 20 bucks more($69)

Even with the single 55w bulb, it's a lot of light and caused a Diatoms bloom I'm still dealing with lol. The floating plug works fine so far and I'm looking at the double kit for my GSP brackish build.

With the double you only get 1 ballast, so that's the price cut. 72 watts on a 10g? Better start looking at full on co2 for your plants.

 

[Demonknight]

*LOL* yeah....probably won't go that far, but its such a nice fun thought

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Just ordered a 2nd kit from Compact Fluorescent Lighting Kits for my GF's brackish water tank (GSP as centerpiece). Going with the 55w PCF strip light conversion kit like before, only for this tank I'm getting the combo 10000K/Actinic split tube bulb since I have plants that are being acclimated to BW.

 

[j2112j]

Just ordered a 2nd kit from Compact Fluorescent Lighting Kits for my GF's brackish water tank (GSP as centerpiece). Going with the 55w PCF strip light conversion kit like before, only for this tank I'm getting the combo 10000K/Actinic split tube bulb since I have plants that are being acclimated to BW.

Would love to see this documented if you have the time. I'll be deciding on my lighting in June and this exact split tube 55w is one of my options. Thanks

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Would love to see this documented if you have the time. I'll be deciding on my lighting in June and this exact split tube 55w is one of my options. Thanks

It'll be the exact same build as I did here, just a different bulb and of course there will be pics of how it looks (if they ever get the app working again lol)

 

[Mr. Limpet]

New fixture arrives today Woo Hoo!

By tomorrow the BW tank for our GSP will get it's new lighting scheme.

 

[j2112j]

New fixture arrives today Woo Hoo!

By tomorrow the BW tank for our GSP will get it's new lighting scheme.

- This is the AH Supply 1x55w bright kit ?
- With the 55w 6700K\deep blue 03 combo bulb ?
- Over a 29G ?
Will you be able to control the 6700K independently from the deep blue 03 ?

I've narrowed my lighting to a ...
coralife CF 24" 1x65w ($95.00).
coralife T5HO 30" 2x31w ($145.00).

I may retrofit my 30" hood over a 36G if you have success with this.

Good Luck

 

[Mr. Limpet]

- This is the AH Supply 1x55w bright kit ?
- With the 55w 6700K\deep blue 03 combo bulb ?
- Over a 29G ?
Will you be able to control the 6700K independently from the deep blue 03 ?

I've narrowed my lighting to a ...
coralife CF 24" 1x65w ($95.00).
coralife T5HO 30" 2x31w ($145.00).

I may retrofit my 30" hood over a 36G if you have success with this.

Good Luck

EDIT: The bulb is a 10000K/Actinic bulb, not a 6700K. My bad, sorry.

Yes, the 55w kit with 10kK/blue split bulb, but they're 2 tubes in the same bulb so no you can't control them independently. AHSuppy says that I'll still get 55w from the 1 (10kK) tube, but given the quality of their reflectors even if it's down a little I'll still have 2wpg.

I was looking at ready made fixtures for this 29g BW tank, but decided to go this route again since I already have 1 identical to it and will be able to swap bulbs if there's an issue in either tank.

I have the retro fit down to a science (including my "improvements") so it shouldn't take more that an hour or so and I'll be posting info on how I think it's doing either here or on my GSP build where the fixture is going.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f70/new-tank-build-29-gallon-gsp-adventure-147269.html

 

[huma-huma]

dear Mr.Limpet, if you are still looking into cooling fan(s) you could always check your local computer/tech store. I know that there are several manufacturers that make 2" cooling fans for motherboards/processors that would be easy to incorporate into your light hood. id prob put one at each end. one pulling air in and the other pushing it out.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

dear Mr.Limpet, if you are still looking into cooling fan(s) you could always check your local computer/tech store. I know that there are several manufacturers that make 2" cooling fans for motherboards/processors that would be easy to incorporate into your light hood. id prob put one at each end. one pulling air in and the other pushing it out.

Yeah, I have a bunch of those laying around in my shop that I might try. What I want is a thermo controlled rack fan made by mid-Atlantic that's the best and I've used it many times, but they're spendy lol.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

The fixture is in, the 10kK/Actinic bulb really lights the tank up nicely. Seems the BBG's like it even more than the junky 20w/17w fixtures that were plopped on top . Time will tell if the plants feel the same way lol.

 

[Demonknight]

My bulbs from them showed up today, have decided to just repair my one 96w pc hood (I have two, but one works) and put in new 10K bulbs, man..its been said they package things well, but krist they worked to make sure they got here intact...boxes around the bulbs, bubble wrap around those then 3inches or more of peanuts around that....now to get off my lazy rump and gently tear the working one down so I can see how to put the broken one back together...

 

[Mr. Limpet]

My bulbs from them showed up today, have decided to just repair my one 96w pc hood (I have two, but one works) and put in new 10K bulbs, man..its been said they package things well, but krist they worked to make sure they got here intact...boxes around the bulbs, bubble wrap around those then 3inches or more of peanuts around that....now to get off my lazy rump and gently tear the working one down so I can see how to put the broken one back together...

hehe... Yep they make sure you get it in tact, don't they. I'd prefer that to some of the threads about dented broken fixtures from some suppliers.

Hit me up if you need any help, I've repaired too many fixture to even try and keep count and ballast based lighting is really pretty simple. Having one to copy from will be a boon .

Good luck!

 

[Demonknight]

aye temp wired it tonight, lost the nuts that hold the reflector in and need to go buy some tomorrow..bright lights when new.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

aye temp wired it tonight, lost the nuts that hold the reflector in and need to go buy some tomorrow..bright lights when new.

DOH! I hate it when that happens .

The nice thing about PCF, is they stay constant till the day they just die (about 2 years time), unlike tubes (t5, t8, etc) that lose their full power slowly after the first year or so.